Prompted by the Spirit and It Ends Badly

I recently read an article where someone asked Elder Bednar how they can trust God when they’ve followed a prompting that didn’t work out. I wouldn’t say that a prompting that doesn’t go well would cause me to lose trust in God. Unfortunately, though, when I feel prompted to do something, and I follow that…… Continue reading Prompted by the Spirit and It Ends Badly

The Slow March of Light: Divided Germany (4.5 Stars)

If you’re interested in Germany post-WW II, you may want to read The Slow March of Light by Heather B. Moore. This book begins in Utah in December 1959. Our main character, Bob, is drafted into the army. After basic training, he heads to West Germany. Germany Post World War II This was a well-written…… Continue reading The Slow March of Light: Divided Germany (4.5 Stars)

Is It Really Success Disguised as Failure?

I talked recently about how I’ve started taking an Emotional Resilience class in my ward. Each week, we set five goals to work on for that week. The following week, we individually rate how we did with each goal. You can pick “very little effort,” “some effort,” or “significant effort.” The first two weeks, I…… Continue reading Is It Really Success Disguised as Failure?

The First Time I Felt Like I Could Belong

About six months ago, I started going to a Single Adult ward. Anyone who knows me well knows this transition was not an easy one for me for several reasons. Despite feeling like I needed to go, I have struggled with feelings that I really don’t belong there. I feel like I don’t have a…… Continue reading The First Time I Felt Like I Could Belong

April 2024 General Conference: What I Think Will Happen

In some ways, it feels like the October 2023 General Conference just happened, but it’s almost time for another general conference. I recently saw two YouTube videos where people made some April 2024 General Conference predictions. The one was fun to listen to and included predictions about who would speak based on which members of…… Continue reading April 2024 General Conference: What I Think Will Happen

The Seven Last Statements of Christ’s Life

While the Easter season is coming to an end, it’s never too late to focus on Christ’s sacrifice, especially with today being Easter Monday in some cultures. Last week, I was encouraged to study the last seven statements that Jesus said while on the cross. Different people might get different messages out of these statements,…… Continue reading The Seven Last Statements of Christ’s Life

Putting Off the Shoveling Just Results in Extra Work

It’s been snowing a lot in Idaho Falls since last Friday. Up until that point, it had been a mild winter. I guess that we were trying to fit four or five months of winter into a week. Of course, a lot of snow meant we had to do some shoveling. On Friday morning, there…… Continue reading Putting Off the Shoveling Just Results in Extra Work

13 Ways to Prepare for and Enjoy Your Temple Visit

I’ve been an ordinance worker at the Idaho Falls Temple since June 2018. During that time, both as a worker and as a patron, I’ve noticed several things that allow the experience to be more spiritual for everyone involved. Make a Temple Appointment While some temples have always required or strongly recommended that you get…… Continue reading 13 Ways to Prepare for and Enjoy Your Temple Visit

Suffering and Joy: Are They Mutually Exclusive?

In Sunday School yesterday, we talked about the final few chapters of 1 Nephi. In this section, particularly in chapter 17, Nephi talked about how his people suffered but were also blessed. Then our teacher said that he enjoys suffering. People laughed a bit at his response. He then explained that he enjoys activities such…… Continue reading Suffering and Joy: Are They Mutually Exclusive?

Kindness and Love Or Allowing Others to Take Advantage of You?

I’ve started this post several times. Then I don’t like the direction it’s going, so I’ll start in another direction, rename it, and try something else. I think perhaps part of the problem is that I do struggle to find that right balance between helping and serving others versus being willing to stand up for…… Continue reading Kindness and Love Or Allowing Others to Take Advantage of You?